Updates from level 22 of EPT Vilamoura, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey and Howard Swains.

Blinds: 10,000-20,000 (2,000 ante)

8pm: Over

On the stroke of 8pm, this day is done. The short-stacked Claudio Coelho moved all in from the hijack seat – about 120,000 or so – and Jeff Sarwer re-raised from the small blind, convincing Antonio Matias to get out the way.

Sarwer was already ahead pre-flop with [ah][7h] against Coelho’s [ac][6h] but the flop sealed it emphatically. It came [kh][2h][4h] giving him the nut flush. Coelho is out in ninth and our final table is set.

A full chip count is imminent, but these are the players (in seat order):

Ryan Franklin, United States

Jan Skampa, Czech Republic

Jeff Sarwer, Canada

Antonio Matias, Portugal

Andrei Vlasenko, Russia

Joao Silva, Portugal

Michel Abecassis, France

Pierre Neuville, Belgium

7.55pm: Skampa-in about

Jeff Sarwer opened for 45,000. It’s called by Jan Skampa when the action reached him in the big blind. The flop comes [qh][tc][qc] which Skampa checks and Sarwer bet another 47,000. Skampa paused and then re-raised, 145,000 in total. Sarwer stared at Skampa, at his chips and then sat still. Both of them hardly moved. Sarwer passed. “Nice hand,” he said quietly .

7.50pm: Flush anyone?

Jan Skampa opened with a raise to 50,000 and was called by Jeff Sarwer and Pierre Neuville to see a [8d][7c][5c] flop. It was checked to Sarwer and he bet 104,000 only to be called by Neuville from the small blind. The turn came [jc] and this time Neuville check-called a 225,000 bet leaving himself only 209,000 behind. When the river came [5d] Neuville moved in for the last of his chips and Sarwer folded saying “Thanks for that, you obviously have a big hand.” Neuville flashed [9c] and raked in the big pot.

7.45pm: Silva golden

Joao Silva made it 50,000 from the button and Pierre Neuville called from the small blind for a flop of [6c][4c][2h]. Both checked for a [7d] on the turn. Now Neuville made it 60,000 which Silva called  for an [8c] on the river. Both checked that. Neuville turned over [as][qh] but Silva had him beaten with [ad][2d].

7.30pm: Silva survives

The first all-in didn’t take long. Joao Silva moved all-in with [ac][8s] for a little more than 300,000. Claudio Coelho called with [kh][ks]. Silva needed an ace to survive and got it on the flop: [jd][3s][as]. Coelho was out of his chair holding his head. The turn and river came [6d][9c] and Silva raised his arms in the air. Coelho looked devastated, refusing to shake Antonio Matias’s hand as an act of sympathy. Instead he’s left with 150,000.

7.25pm: Chips

After a short delay to arrange the pseudo final table, here are the all important chip counts (in seat order):

1 – Claudio Coelho, Portugal, 448,000

2 – Ryan Franklin, United States, 1,219,000

3 – Jan Skampa, Czech Republic, 682,000

4 – Jeff Sarwer, Canada, 2,353,000

5 – Antonio Matias, Portugal, 2,986,000

6 – Andrei Vlasenko, Russia, 379,000

7 – Joao Silva, Portugal, 303,000

8 – Michel Abecassis, France, 544,000

9 – Pierre Neuville, Belgium, 705,000

7.05pm: Terrazas departs

Ryan Franklin opened for 48,000 and Santiago Terrazas re-raised another 97,000 more. Franklin then re-raised all-in and Terrazas called. He didn’t like what he saw. His [9s][9h] was out-gunned by Franklin’s [kh][kc]. The board ran: [3s][6d][7c][6h][qs]. No change for Terrazas who is eliminated in tenth place.

The remaining nine players are now gathering around the pseudo final table. One more to depart before we reach the final eight who will return tomorrow. Full chips of those nine are on their way.

7pm: This is poker

Action folded around to Jan Skampa who raised to 46,000 and was called Antonio Matias in the big blind. The flop was [5s][2d][qd]. Skampa continued his aggression with a 52,000 bet that Matias min-raised to 104,000. Skampa responded with another raise, up to 220,000 before Matias fought back again with what looked like another min raise. Skampa decided to bail and and folded only to be shown [td][js] by his opponent to cheers from his supporters on the rail.

6.55pm: Double-quick eliminations

Two players have just hit the rail in very quick succession. First up, Gino Gabriel raised from under-the-gun to 50,000 before Ryan Franklin moved all in for around 400,000 and Gabriel snap called all in with a similar sized stack. Franklin tabled [tc][td] and was in a very strong position against Gabriel’s [ad][th]. The board ran [2d][kd][5h][kh][jh] to eliminate the final British player in 12th place.

About two hands later, and on the same table, this happened:

Jeff Sarwer opened for 45,000 from the cut off and Tome Moreira raised 75,000 more from the button. Sarwer tanked for a while, Moreira standing up. Sarwer then turned to him and announced all in. Moreira stood, lifting his cards off the table to stare at them before calling. Sarwer immediately said: “Good call”. [as][th] for Moreira, [kc][9h] for Sarwer. Then the flop: [js][3h][9d]. Sarwer was now ahead, leaving Moreira in need of a ten or an ace. When the [3d] landed on the turn he gathered his things ready to leave. When the [ks] landed on the river he did just that, shaking hands with Sarwer to a round of applause.

“I’m surprised he had it in him,” said Sarwer. Remember the ace-jack fold? I was surprised."

Moreira and Gabriel now find themselves on the prizewinners page, where you can see who has won what so far. The down-side is that they’re no longer on the chip-counts page, which is still the best place to find information of those remaining.

6.50pm: No takers

First hand back after the break and Andrei Vlasenko shoved, getting no takers. Second hand back from the break Vlasenko shoved again, still no takers. Joao Silva was trying the same on the other table and you guessed it, no takers.

6.45pm: All in action

The action started with an under-the-gun 48,000 raise from Ryan Franklin before Gino Gabriel three-bet to 170,000 and Santiago Terrazas moved all in. Franklin folded but Gabriel called with [js][jh]. Terrazas opened [ks][kc] and the board ran [ah][5h][3h][5c][3s] to more than double-up the Spanish player.

6.40pm: Hidden talents

With Jude Ainsworth’s elimination in the last level, Team PokerStars Pro took their leave of EPT Vilamoura. That gives them more time to work on their hidden talents, showcased in this video blog:

6.35pm: We’re back

Play has resumed in Vilamoura. Just 12 players remain and we play on until that figure is down to eight. Check out the latest scores on the now updated chip count page. Missing someone? You might find them here on the prize winners and payout page.

Pierre Neuville

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.

Updates from level 20 of EPT Vilamoura, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Blinds: 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

4.45pm: To the break

A few scrappy looking pots have taken place on table two. Pierre Neuville has raised pre-flop a couple of times, but ended the hand down after re-raises from Andrei Vlasenko and Jan Skampa. He took some back though pushing Jude Ainsworth off a pre-flop raise.

Just before the break Skampa made it 27,000 from under-the-gun. Aurelien Guiglini called in the cut off, as did Claudio Coelho in the small blind. The flop came [5s][2d][th] and Coelho had a pop at it, betting 25,000. Skampa was having none of it and raised to 80,000. That got Guiglini out of the way and ultimately Coelho who showed [ad][js]

That’s the end of the level – the first today that has ended without a player being eliminated. The last 16 are now on a 15 minute break.

4.35pm: Short stack battle

Dutch Team PokerStars Pro Ruben Vissser moved all in from the hijack for 277,000 when folded around to him before Ryan Franklin called all in for 132,000 from the button. It was a case of small pairs for the small stacks as Visser opened [4c][4d] to Franklin’s [6s][6h]. The board ran [9c][3s][tc][6d][jh] putting Visser right back in the deep troble he was just climbing out of.

4.25pm: Double up for Visser

It’s folded around to Tome Moreira in the small blind, who announces he’s all. Ruben Visser, the short-stack at the table, instantly calls all in from the big blind.

Moreira: [as][7c]

Visser: [ad][8d]

The flop came [5s][kc][3c], and the [8h] turn sealed the deal. The [4h] river was of no consequence, and Visser doubled up to 280,000, leaving Moreira on around 350,000.

4.20pm: Small pot

There’s not a huge amount happening at the moment, but here’s a small pot to report. Claudio Coelho limped from under-the-gun and it was folded to the blinds, Jude Ainsworth in the small and Pierre Neuville in the big. They came along. The flop was [qc][9c][3d] and all three of them checked. The turn was [qs] and Ainsworth fired 12,000. Neuville raised to 32,000 and that was that. Fold, fold.

4.15pm: Visser on the point of evisceration

It’s been a tough day for Ruben Visser and he is now down to his last 80,000 or so. Visser open shoved from the button and got that through, but on the next hand raised to 27,000 from the cut off. Gino Gabriel called in the big blind and they saw a [10s][9h][ah] flop. Gabriel checked, Visser bet 24,000 and Gabriel called. The turn was [7c], which they both checked, and the river was [ac]. Gabriel bet 45,000 and Visser, priced in, called. Gabriel showed [as][3s] and Visser’s jacks were cracked.

4.10pm: Sarwer means business

Jeff Sarwer opened under the gun for 27,000, and it’s folded around to Ruben Visser in mid position. He has a look down at his chips, then picks up a chunk and lobs them in the middle for a re-raise of 45,000.

Sarwer asked how much Visser had behind – it was significantly less than his stack – and re-popped for 250,000. Visser wasted no time in mucking his cards

4.05pm: Song and dance

On a flop of [9h][8d][4d] Michel Abecassis in early position checked to Claudio Coelho on the button who made it 30,000. Abecassis called for a [8c] turn. Coelho can’t seem to sit still and dances in his seat. He made it 25,000 which Abecassis raised to 71,000. Coelho called, still dancing, for a [2s] on the river. Coelho immediately flicked out 20,000.

Abecassis asked how much he had behind. It’s several hundred. It’s hard to tell because Coelho has his chips all over the place, not stacked in 20s. Abecassis raises another 150,000. Coelho called instantly and without looking at the board, or Abecassis, turned over his [5h][5c]. Abecassis insta-mucked. “Whooooooo,” sand Coelho, “Whooooooo,” he continued, doing the dance at the same time. It’s a routine that might not win him many friends.

3.55pm: No fun time for Franklin

Ryan Franklin opened with a 27,000 raise from the hijack and then called the 202,000 all in push from Joao Silva in the small blind. Franklin had [td][tc] and saw he was in good shape against Silva’s [jd][9h]. That all changed though when the board came [jh][7s][9d][6s][6d]. Franklin down to 100,000 now.

3.50pm: No takers

A flurry of all ins on Jeff Sarwer’s table, although nothing came from them. Sarwer made it 30,000 from the button before Ruben Visser moved all-in. Sarwer folded an ace, Visser said he had some of those too.

Then Ryan Franklin got stuck in, moving all-in behind a bet of 31,000 from Visser. No takers, but they wanted to see.

“Let me pick one!” said Visser but Franklin wasn’t playing.

“You could have called to see both.”

“Pay per view, right?” added Sarwer.

Franklin did the same on the next hand, again no takers. He’s been the short stack for some time now but he doesn’t look under threat.

3.45pm: Hey Jude, don’t be afraid

“I don’t like making hero calls,” said Jude Ainsworth, staring down Antonio Matias and his huge stack, 71,000 of which had been bet on the river. The hand played out like this: Matias raised to 25,000 from the cut off and Ainsworth was the only caller from the big blind. The flop came [2c][js][kd] and both players checked. The turn was [5s] and Ainsworth check-called Matias’ 25,000 bet. The river was [4c] and Ainsworth checked again, which prompted that 71,000 bet from Matias. “Did that four help you?” Ainsworth asked. “I think I was ahead before that.” Ainsworth’s read was spot on, but he called anyway, showing [7s][5h]. Matias showed [as][3s].

3.40pm: Neuville doubles

Pierre Neuville doubles up to 675,000 through Jan Skampa. Neuville bet 32,000 from mid position, and Skampa re-raised to 86,000 from the small blind. A little look at his opponent’s stack – Skampa had him well covered – and Neuville moved all in for 298,000 more. Call.

Skampa: [js][jd]

Neuville: [kd][kh]

The flop came [qc][qs][9s] and the [6s] turn added a flush draw to Skampa’s outs, making the man from Belgium sweat a little, but the [9d] was enough to keep him ahead.

3.42pm: Tome for a double-up

Tome Moreira has just doubled through Santiago Terrazas. Moreira raised to 31,000 from under-the-gun and was only called by the Spaniard to see a [2s][4s][3s] flop. Moreira bet 60,000 when checked to him before he was put all in by Terrazas. Moreira had 155,000 back and made the call with [th][td] and saw he was up against [8s][8c]. The turn came [6c] and river [kc] to see the chips heading the way of the Portuguese. The Spaniard down to 460,000.

3.35pm: Blind on blind

Pierre Neuville made it 30,000 from the small blind and Claudio Coelho called from the big. The flop came [ah][9d][9h] and Neuville led for 47,000. Coelho took a long time over his decision but folded, showing [10h][jc].

3.30pm: And we’re back after break

Play resumes. 16 players remain and their chip counts are now available on the chip count page.

Ruben Visser

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.

Updates from level 19 of EPT Vilamoura, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Blinds: 4,000-8,000 (500 ante)

3.15pm: Franklin picks his spot

Ryan Franklin reraised all in from late position after Tome Moreira had opened to 28,000. Franklin’s all in was 161,000 more. The tournament clock ticked down towards the end of the level as Moreira sunk into the tank. He passed almost on the stroke of the end of the level, giving everyone their full 15-minute break. Including us.

3.10pm: Neuville nipped

Pierre Neuville is trying to get something going, but is not getting it his own way. He raised to 28,000 from the cut off, then Jan Skampa made it 51,000 from the big blind. Neuvill folded. A couple of hands later, Neuville raised to 25,000 from mid position and Claudio Coelho called to his left. The flop came [4d][2c][ah] and after Neuville checked, Coelho bet 50,000 and Neuville folded. Coelho showed [2s][3d].

3.05pm: Tome-much to call

Santiago Terrazas opened for 27,000 under the gun, called by Tome Moreira for a [3s][as][9c] flop. Terrazas made it another 39,000 which again Moreira called. Again on the [ac] turn, Santiago made it 85,000 which Moreira called for a [4c] turn. As the last card hit the board Terrazas announced “all-in”, shoving 220,000 into the middle. Moreira went into an elaborate thought process, picking up his cards which everyone behind him could see: [ah][jd]. It looked like he was exposing his cards but he kept putting them back again. But he would fold, showing his ace-jack. Terrazas looked relieved and showed an [ad].

3pm: Online player

Ruben Visser moved his cards forward as if to pass, under-the-gun. The only problem was that he wasn’t under-the-gun; he was in the big blind and just hadn’t posted it. There was moderate hilarity at that, but when it was folded to Jeff Sarwer on the button, they were laughing again. Sarwer raised, and Visser said: “I always fold jacks under the gun. But I’ll play them from the big blind.” That wasn’t strictly true. He folded.

2.55pm: Ainsworth less

Team PokerStars Pro Jude Ainsworth has slipped down to 270,000. He bet 20,000 on the button and was called by Claudio Coelho in the big blind. Coelho bet 30,000 on the [jh][10h][9c] flop – call. On the [6s] turn Coelho made it 40,000 – call. Finally, on the [5d] river Coelho bet 45,000 and again Ainsworth called. Coelho showed [js][8h], and that was good.

Coelho is now on around 600,000.

2.50pm: More for Matias

When you’re hot, you’re hot and Antonio Matias cannot miss at the moment. Michel Abecassis made it 24,000 under-the-gun, Jude Ainsworth called from middle position and Matias called from the big blind. The flop came [9s][qd][2c] and after Matias and Abecassis both checked, Ainsworth bet 35,000. Matias called, Abecassis folded. The turn was [5h] and both checked. They also both checked the [ac] river. Ainsworth showed black eights, but Matias had [ah][10h] and his rivered pair of aces took it.

2.47pm: El Classico

Gino Gabriel raised to 26,000 from early position and was called by Jeff Sarwer before Ruben Visser three-bet to 88,000. Gabriel then went all in for 260,000 and was called by Visser with [ac][kc] after Sarwer had passed. Gabriel tabled [qc][qd] and he was the happier player after the board ran [9c][qh][5h][3s][jd]. Visser down to 430,000 now.

2.45pm: One here one there

Jan Skampa opened for 24,000. Michel Abecassis was on the button and raised 42,000 more. Back to Skampa and he re-raised another 88,000 on top of that. Abecassis folded, patting the table. Over on the other table Ruben Visser opened for 23,000 from under the gun. Joao Silva called in the cut off. The flop came [2d][ac][2s] and Visser put his hood up, betting 31,000 which Silva called. On the turn [5h] Visser added another 79,000, enough for Silva to pass

2.40pm: Good call, sir

Ryan Franklin opened for 24,000 in mid position, called by Santiago Terrezas in the small blind and Jeff Sarwer in the big. All three checked the [js][8d][7c] flop. On the [8s] turn Terrezaz checked, Sarwer bet 36,000 and Franklin re-raised to 85,000. Only Sarwer called. Both checked the [2c] river.

Sarwer: [ad][9h]

Franklin: [as][4s]

Sarwer raked in the 235,000 pot.

2.35pm: Double up

Ryan Franklin raised from the button and then called the 190,000 all in push from Joao Silva. The race was on as Silva held [5d][5s] to Franklin’s [ah][kh] and the board ran [8h][qd][2s][jc][9h]. Cries of “Vamos!” came from the Portuguese rail as one of their own survives for now.

2.35pm: The enigma revealed

The man crushing day four in Vilamoura is the Portuguese player Antonio Matias. Our photographer Neil Stoddart ploughed through his mountain of chips to get Matias to pose in front of the camera in the most recent break. Here’s your chip leader:

2.30pm: Cheerio Garcia

On a flop of [6s][2c][9c] Javier Garcia moved in with [qc][jc], called by Michel Abecassis with [jd][9d]. A [jh] on the turn and [7s] on the river. That’s that for Garcia, out in 17th place.

We’re now down to two tables.

2.25pm: Another man down

The man in question is Ricardo Sousa and he fell at the hands of the Irish Team PokerStars Pro Jude Ainsworth. It was a standard shove-call pre-flop and Ainsworth tabled [td][tc] to Sousa’s [ac][4s]. The board ran [kh][4h][7s][8s][3h].

2.15pm: The rich get richer

Jude Ainsworth is the latest player to suffer at the hands of Antonio Matias. Matias raised to 30,000 from the cut off and Ainsworth called from the small blind. The flop came [js][3h][jc] and Ainsworth check-called Matias’ 60,000 bet. The turn was [10h], which both players checked, and the river came [10s], which is where it got interesting Ainsworth led for 100,000 and Matias made it 300,000. Ainsworth reluctantly folded, but Matias nodded in appreciation and showed the [jh]. He later said he had quads – you can believe that if you like.

2.10pm: Nothing to see here?

On a flop of [9h][kc][9c] Jeff Sarwer on the small blind and Ryan Franklin were playing out a now familiar hand. Both checked for a [6d] on the turn where Franklin bet 40,000 and Sarwer passed. “That wasn’t very interesting, was it?” said Sarwer looking over. Not on its own perhaps, but these two are providing day four with their own intriguing sub-plot.

2.05pm: Joao Bar-busta

The action folded around to Joao Barbosa in the small blind who open shoved for around 180,000, getting snap called by Pierre Neuville in the big blind with [ah][ks]. Barbosa was live with [jd][9d] but he got no help on the [7c][qd][2h][kh][8h] board. Barbosa leaves in 19th spot.

2pm: Short stack surges continue

The latest shortie to double through is Hugo Felix who moved all in for 145,000 when the action was folded to him on the button. Gino Gabriel took a quick peek at his cards from the big blind and called with [9d][9c]. Felix tabled [ah][qs] and the board ran [kd][js][3c][jc][td], making a straight on the river for Felix.

1.55pm: All ins

Two players are all in on neighbouring tables. The short story goes like this: Gino Gabriel raises to 26,000 from early position and Joao Silva moves all in for about 220,000. Fold.

The slightly longer story occurred on table one, where Joao Barbosa raised from the hijack, making it 20,000 and Ruben Visser re-raised from the button, asking for 46,000 to go. Andrei Vlasenko, from the small blind, then moved all in for about 185,000. Barbosa folded, leaving himself with about 160,000, but Visser called, tabling [10h][10d]. Vlasenko’s [jh][jd] were ahead and stayed there through a dry board.

After a flurry of early eliminations, the short stacks have started to double up.

1.50pm: Sarwer the exception

Every player who has had to move tables this morning has busted from the tournament – with one exception. Jeff Sarwer has more than a million in chips and is still well in the hunt here.

1.50pm: Video

Here’s the introductory video to day four.

1.50pm: Back to the tables

The players have returned and we’ve been busy counting chips. Antonio Matias is well ahead at the moment. Head over to the chip-count page for full details.

CLICK HERE FOR CHIP COUNTS

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.

Updates from level 18 of EPT Vilamoura, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Blinds: 4,000-8,000 (500 ante)

1.45pm: That’s the break

Another level ends and players take a 15 minute break.

1.40pm: Return of the Jeff

Jeff Sarwer made it 20,000 from the button. Ryan Franklin re-raised from the big blind, making it 76,000. Sarwer fired back with another raise, taking two towers of yellows from his stack. He hadn’t even pushed them forward before Franklin folded.

But Franklin would turn the tables soon after. After Sarwer opened for 20,000 from middle position Franklin re-raised to 51,000 from the button. The blinds folded and it was back with Sarwer.

“The empire strikes back, huh?” said Sarwer, before humming the first bars of Darth Vader’s signature tune. This one went to Franklin.

1.38pm: Checking with the nuts

Joao Barbosa raised from the hijack and was called by Claudio Coelho in the big blind. Both players checked to the river where the board read [td][ad][5d][6d][jd]. At this point Silva bet 80,000. Barbosa called with [7d][7c] but was shown [kd][2d] by Coelho who had the nuts all the way.

1.37pm: Fold, really?

There was a raise and a call before Santiago Terrazas re-raise, a classic squeeze that had worked for Terrazas on the previous hand. This time it wasn’t so successful: the original raiser folded but Gino Gabriel moved all in. Terrazas had his opponent well covered but after looking like he was going to call he folded [qd][qs] face-up.

1.36pm Ainsworth talks

Jude Ainsworth is one of the few players that hasn’t got massively involved on what is without question the action table. Late last night, the new member of Team PokerStars Pro talked to the video blog team:

1.35pm: Garcia doubles

Javier Garcia just outdrew Ricardo Sousa to double up. It was all in pre-flop, Garcia’s 120,000-odd well covered by Sousa. Garcia had [as][8c] to Sousa’s [ad][qd]. The flop was good for Garcia though: it ran out [7s][8s][6h] and the turn and river were [10s][5c], meaning the flopped eight stayed good. Sousa’s slide continues.

1.30pm: Barbosa aggression

Pierre Neuville limped under-the-gun and it was folded to Joao Barbosa in the big blind. He raised to 24,000 and Neuville made it 53,000. Barbosa moved all in for about 300,000 and Neuville got out the way.

1.25pm: Double up

Michel Abecassis raised to 38,000 from the big blind. Ricardo Sousa was in the hand with him from middle position, and moved all-in, easily covering Abecassis who called showing [ad][ac], ahead against Sousa’s [8c][8d]. The board came: [3h][2c][qh][4h][3d] and Abecassis doubled up, close to 600,000 now.

1.20pm: Skampa over Sousa

Ricardo Sousa raised to 20,000 under-the-gu and Jan Skampa called. The flop came [7d][qc][5c] and Sousa bet 27,000, which Skampa called. The turn was [6c] and they both checked, as they did the [kh] river. Sousa showed [7h][8h] but Skampa’s [10c][10h] was better.

1.15pm: Previously this tournament

Putting that Lellouche bust out in a little context, here’s a hand from earlier in the day that went unreported, although it’s more relevant now. Lellouche raised to 20,500 from the hijack and Jan Skampa re-raised to 57,000 from the cut off. Lellouche then made it 137,000 and Skampa announced he was all in. That’s the four-bet, fold from Lellouche that some people are talking about on internet forums, but also shows that Lellouche is capable of laying a hand down.

1.15pm: Loose change

Santiago Terrazos raised on the button to 20,500. Jeff Sarwer was in the small blind and re-raised to 61,000. Terrazos called and the flop came [7d][8c][7c]. Sarwer then bet 100,000, enough to take the pot.

1.10pm:The bigger they are, the harder they fall

Antony Lellouche started the day as chip leader and now he is out in dramatic circumstances. He raised from the cut off and was called by Antonio Matias in the small blind. The flop came [2c][8d][jc]. Matias check-raised Lellouche’s 45,000 bet up to 100,000 and received a call. The turn came [qs] before Matias check-called a 145,000 from the Frenchman. When the river fell [2d] Matias checked to face an all in bet from Lellouche. Matias called! Lellouche said: “You’re good,” and tabled [7d][9d] for a busted draw and Matias opened [ah][2h] for rivered trips twos. A shocked Lellouche leaves the room while Matias spends a while stacking his stack now worth at least 1,700,000.

1pm: Big pair v big pair II

Guillaume Da Silva is next out and again it’s big pair against big pair. Da Silver has pocket jacks, Santiago Terrazas has pocket queens. No help and that’s another elimination.

12.57pm: Big pair v big pair I

Pierre Neuville raised from second position only to be re-raised by Andrei Vlasenko two seats along. His answer was to move all in and the call was quick in coming. [kc][kh] for Neuville, [qd][qc] for Vlasenko and the board ran [as][ks][9h][9s][3c]. It was all over by the turn and Neuville doubled to 340,000. Vlasenko on 190,000 now.

12.55pm: Vlasenko takes one from Sarwer

Jeff Sarwer and Andrei Vlasenko tangled on table one when Vlasenko called Sarwer’s pre-flop opener from the big blind. The flop came [qc][3h][10s] and they both checked. The turn was [jc] and Vlasenko bet 25,000, which Sarwer called. The river was [4h] and Vlasenko bet 40,000, which again Sarwer called. Vlasenko showed [qh][10h] for two pair. “Hmm, better than I thought,” said Sarwer.

12.50pm: Mr_BigQueso grilled

James Collopy is out. He eventually got it all in from the button with [ad][kc] and was up against Ryan Franklin and his [qs][jd]. The flop came [2s][4s][4d], good for Collopy, then the [4c] came on the turn. “Don’t show me a two,” Collopy said, but that was the least of his worries. The river was [js] which gave the whole pot to Franklin. Collopy is out in 21st.

12.45pm: Narrow margin

Tome Moreira just pushed Joao Barbosa out of a hand that was brewing pre-flop. He’d raised from the button before Barbosa re-raised in the small blind. That prompted Moreira to move all in for 200,000 or so more, ending the action.

A hand later Moreira was in action again, although not for long. Claudio Coelho opened for 25,000 which Moreira called in the cut off. Ruben Visser also wanted in, calling from the big blind for a flop of [ac][5d][4d].

Visser checked to Coelho who bet 30,000. Moreira folded but Visser called for a [2c] on the turn. The pattern continued. Visser checked before Coelho made it another 50,000 to play. Again Visser called. Same again on the [ad] river. Another 60,000 from Coelho, called by Visser. [as][qd] for Coelho, a narrow defeat for Visser, holding [ah][js].

12.45pm: Jacks full

Michel Abecassis raised to 20,500 from under-the-gun and was called in three spots to see a [jd][4c][7h] flop. Antonio Matias led out for 40,500 and was only called by Ricardo Sousa before the [9d] turn came down. Matias contimued to push with a 100,500 bet and once again his fellow country man called. The river [js] didn’t slow Matias down as he fired 200,500 into the pot. Sousa thought for a while but ultimately laid it down and good job too as he was shown [jc][9c] for a full house.

12.30pm: Johns departs

Well, it doesn’t get much crueler than this. Matt Johns is out, the victim of two miserable hands back-to-back. He had Antonio Matias covered in chips when they got them all in pre-flop, but Johns’ kings were no match for Matias’s aces and that put Johns down to about 70,000. Then he shoved with pocket sevens and ran into Ricardo Sousa’s aces. Out.

That’s aces on the first three hands of action on table two, with Johns following Mohamed Razab out the door.

12.25pm: Opening gambit

Jeff Sarwer made it 15000 from the cut off. Pierre Neuville was waiting in the big blind, raising to just less than 100,000. Sarwer rubbed his temples for a bit before folding. “Alright, nice hand.” Cue long discussion about what Neuville had.

No such discussion for Santiago Terrazos. He just got re-raised off a hand by Jim Collopy. Collopy didn’t show but Terrazos folded [ah][qh].

12.20pm: Cold start to the day

We have our first elimination today and it was a bit if a cooler. Action folded around to Mohamed Razab on the button who raised to 17,000 and then moved all in for around 230,000 when Jan Skampa re-raised to 27,000 from the small blind. Skampa snap called with [ac][ah] and you have to feel sorry for Razab who tabled [as][ks]. The board ran [qh][9h][7d][kh][jc] and a disbelieving Razab left the room.

12.10pm: Back to the action

We’re back, the players are back, and we have action again in Vilamoura. There are only 11 minutes of level 17 remaining, where the blinds are 3,000-6,000 and then we’ll be up to 4,000-8,000 for another 75 minutes. Stick with us.

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.

Yesterday we reported how Antony Lellouche and Jeff Sarwer were once again setting the benchmark for a successful day on an EPT, just as they had a few weeks earlier in Warsaw.

Well, not a lot has changed since then.

Tonight those two are still the leaders – all they did was swap places at the top. Yesterday it was Sarwer, today Lellouche.

Antony Lellouche

Jeff Sarwer

Lellouche (1,134,000 chips) and Sarwer (913,500 chips) were today’s draw for reporters, and their progress seemed to directly affect everyone else. If either of them sneezed the players at their tables got colds and most of the time that meant another empty seat. By the whistle the closest stacks to them belonged to Ricardo Sousa (765,000) and the Team PokerStars Pro Ruben Visser (749,000).

Ruben Visser

Taking place around them was the process of going from 69 players to 24. It’s often hard to predict how long that will take, but today it was as if the tournament floor had been lifted up at one end, sending players sliding uncontrollably towards the payout desk.

Within two levels we’d reached the bubble, the Russian player Sergey Lebedev claiming the dubious honour of bubble boy before the first hand-for-hand shuffle. With that popped we set a course for a final 24 and we reached that before 6pm, just half an hour after the sun set over the Algarve. There are still signs of daylight out there.

So who else got a pat on the back today?

Matt Johns had a breakthrough day at his first EPT event. The PokerStars qualifier finished on 374,000 after recovering from an earlier blow, and ultimately brought the day to a close when he busted Nicolo Calia in 25th place, flopping a straight against Calia’s set of kings. Joao Barbosa secured his eighth EPT cash, bagging up 362,000 tonight. Team PokerStars Pro’s new boy Jude Ainsworth continues his excellent debut. Ainsworth returns tomorrow with 491,000, joined by team mate Ruben Visser with 749,000. Jan Skampa is within sight of the leaders with 562,000, as is Claudio Coelho on 508,500.

Matt Johns

Jude Ainsworth

Flip the success coin for the list of today’s eliminations, one that includes Andy Black, Alex Kravchenko, Johannes Strassmann, Johan van Til, Ljubomir Josipovic, Martin Wendt, Stefan Mattsson and Ross Boatman among others. You can find how much each of them cashed, if anything, at the prize winners and payouts page as well as all today’s scores on the chip count page, which is the only place to find the official counts for all 24 remaining players.

Martin Wendt

In the meantime feel free to catch up on everything that happened today at the links below:

Level 14

Level 15

Level 16

Level 17

Our thanks to Neil Stoddart for the photography, including the three faces of Jan Heitmann, and you can find all the video blogs you like at PokerStars.tv. They’re still celebrating the fact that the video blog curse has not struck Matt Johns.

That’s it for today. Now it’s on to day four, where we wrench up the excitement levels again and close in on the final table: from 24 players to a last eight.

Can Sarwer and Lellouche put their Warsaw demons behind them and reach that final? Or will a local man make a legend of himself in front of a home crowd? Find out when the action begins at noon GMT tomorrow. And if you need something for the time in between then there’s action from the LAPT in Costa Rica right now.

Cheerio.

*

Here’s something to ease you into the night. It’s a football match between Germany and Spain, Team PokerStars Pro style:

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.